Liberosis
by Aqua-Tranquility
Summary: Liberosis (n) The desire to care less about things Irene has reached new heights. Now she reflects on the steps that took her there.


Irene gazed down from her gilded throne. She had ascended to new heights, cast magic that, in all likelihood, would define an era, and enable Alvarez to bring this sorry excuse of a war to a swift end.

She examined her surroundings; her Universe One magic had favorable results, marble covered every surface and a bewildered palace guard, knights, were moments from leaping into action. Moments meant nothing to her, if anything, she had given them a head start; how generous, how precious, how weak. Generousity toward the enemy was not a sound strategy. It certainly did not win wars.

The guards disposed of she turned her attention to the quivering old man and girl they must have been protecting. Adorned in all their finery they were truly pathetic. What right did they have to a kingdom when they possessed no true power.

The King trembled and the princess quivered in a terribly undignified manner unbefitting their stations; the princess shook as tears threatened to roll down her cheeks and a look of terror had overtaken her eyes.

Irene wondered, breifly, if _she_ had looked like this in _her_ final moments. The thought was dimissed as quickly as it had begun.

* * *

"Irene! Come on we are going to be late for dinner." Matilda called out to her from the bottom of the hill.

Irene took her time walking down the hill, if only to aggravate her twin a little, Matilda could be a stickler for the rules sometimes and what fun was that? Her plan was working too. She knew Matilda like the back of her own hand.

"Hurry up" Matilda reprimanded then continued "remember last time we were late Mom doubled our chores for a week."

Irene looked at the position of the sun in the sky "You're probably right" she replied grimacing.

Matilda grinned wickedly at her "Let's race! Last one home has to do the other's chores for a week."

"I don't know..."

"What, don't think that you can win?" Matilda goaded then sprinted off.

Irene blinked then came back to her senses and took off after her sister. The last thing she was going to do was Matilda's chores on _her birthday_ ; well technically it was Matilda's birthday too, but semantics. In no time at all she caught up with Matilda "Not so fast. Did you _really_ think it was going to be _that easy_?"

"Well you were a little slow on the uptake," she jabbed lightheartedly.

They raced along the lush green rolling hills, that led to their home on the edge of Rosemary Village, neck and neck the whole way. As they neared home they were welcomed with a sight that made them forget their competition entirely.

They both watched frozen as some thug towered over their Father. Their mother stood to the side, tears brimming at her eyes, as if frozen in place.

"So, where is my money old man?" He punctuated his inquiry with a brutal kick to the crumpled man's gut.

The kick was enough to break their mother out of her stupor. As the man prepared to deliver another hit she cried out "Wait! Please, please we can pay you. Please stop. There's money in the house I just need a moment to get it. Please just stop." Their mother pleaded, no, it was begging, she begged. Perhaps more shocking, than the violence this stranger had inflicted was the state he had reduced their mother to.

"Alright, go ahead."

 _How dare he,_ Irene thought, _what right does he have to treat them this way!_ Her shock faded giving way to an unadulterated wave of fury that overcame her.

After their mother disappeared into the house. The man, who had nothing better to do, glanced around his surroundings; then his eyes landed on Irene who did little to mask her inner turmoil.

"What are you looking at short-stack?"

Despite her own fears Irene looked him in the eye's, a furious glare fixed on her own face, and challenged, "Who do _you think you are_? What _makes you think_ that it is okay to steal from people?" Before he could get so much as word in edgewise she continued her vicious tirade, much to the horror of her family,"Maybe that is your problem _you do not think."_ Matilda was gripping her arm like a vice. Their father moved to stand, but was in no condition to do so, and their mother had just appeared in the doorway a pouch of money in hand.

Irene's questions were answered with raucous laughter, "Pray tell, little miss what do you plan to do about _my stealing_? If you have a problem _maybe you_ should take it up with the boss," he sneered.

"Here's your money. Please take it. Is it really necessary to mention this incident my daughter does not know any better. Please we do not want any trouble," her mother pleaded while handing the bottom feeder her parents hard earned money.

Irene wanted to say something; this was not right, but the atmosphere was strained and, as much as she wanted, giving this thug a piece of her mind was not a good idea.

Irene held her tongue.

A few days later Irene and Matilda celebrated their birthday. Although celebrate was not really an apt description. They shared a modest cake and one candle. Irene's newfound knowledge soured what should have a joyous affair.

Matilda broke Irene from her reverie, "It's time to make our wishes!" Irene knew Matilda must be as troubled as she was by what had transpired; it never seemed to show.

As Irene blew out the candle she knew with complete certainty her wish. She would never again allow herself to be so helpless. Then if a similar situation were to arise in the future Irene would be powerful enough that she would not be at someone else's mercy.

* * *

A silence overtook the throne room for a moment while Irene pondered her next move. She could just kill the princess, but where would the fun be in that; just because the Royals were a bore did not mean Irene had to let them rub off on her.

* * *

"You're going to leave! Just like that?" Matilda, now fifteen, argued with Irene her ferocity evident.

"I intend to become a powerful mage and that will _never_ happen here. I am being held back here. So, yes, I _intend_ to leave _just like that._ " Irene tried and failed to keep the sarcastic bite out of her words. She wanted to to remain calm knowing that it would stop Matilda dead in her tracks. Irene's facade, which would have worked with anyone else, was absolutely transparent to her twin.

"For what, _your own self gratification?_ " Matilda responded with a fire Irene had not seen before. The concern was seemingly gone from her voice.

Irene knew she had toed the line and Matilda was pissed. Before she had been trying to convince Irene to stay now she was attacking her; all because she did not agree. Irene for the life of her could never understand why Matilda insisted on being so passive when she was one of the strongest people Irene knew. Matilda always looked for the peaceful solution. She obviously did not understand that was not realistic. Matilda was optimistic, _too optimistic._

"What about _you_? Why are you always trying to push your beliefs onto other people?! If you want things to get better then you have to fight!"

"If we sink to their level then we are no better!"

"Taking the high ground does not matter if nothing is changing! We need to fight and to do that we need power."

"Yes, but power is more than _brute force_. A criminal organization is not going to go away if you _just_ attack. It is not that simple."

"Maybe, just this once, it is. Whatever arguement you're planning to make would just be a waste of breath. Nothing you could say now would convince me to change my mind."

Matilda was quiet for a moment. The silence seemed to stretch on forever. Finally, Matilda broke it, "fine, if that is what you going to do then power to you."

"After _all that_ you are just accepting this, really?"

Matilda sighed, "I do not agree at all with what you are doing, but at the end of the day you are my sister and that is never going to change. We are bound to disagree or take different paths in life. I know I am not going to change your mind; I _know_ I am not going to change mine. I don't want to lose you, so just know that you are always welcome back."

"Do you even have to have to say that?" Irene asked incredulously. Even if she was not welcome back she would come; if only to take apart the low life's who had terrorized her village for countless years.

"No, but I wanted you to know anyway."

* * *

The princess would be reduced to a form befitting her person pathetic in nature. Once that happened she would see how quickly her subjects and father disregarded her; birthright, wealth, nothing could protect her from such a fate.

A mouse would do nicely for a pathetic form. Mice were vermin. The size would certainly make her easier to crush under her heel.

The specifics of such magic might prove to be a challenge though. Irene usually reserved her enchantments for inanimate objects for various reasons.

The first was physically changing a living being was a complicated matter. Even enhancing a mages magic ability could prove difficult; it only worked on those with great aptitude and even then the human body was not designed for such a drastic rise in power; medical probelms often arose in time. It also took a great deal of finesse and generally was not worth the trouble.

Then there was the matter of control. The best example could be seen in her retainers Juliet and Heine; although the two appeared to be human with personalities of their own they were merely manifestations of Irene's own magic. Two swords she had enchanted on a whim. The two were in essence programmed they did not have minds of their own so they would not turn on Irene and would carry out all orders given regardless of circumstance. The personalities themselves only served to decieve those around them; really that was it. They were a vaulable device for acquiring information and everything else she may require in the moment.

But Irene had just accomplished her Universe One magic and every challenge paled in comparison to it. Even if the princess ended up something grotesque in-between form, Irene would be entertained. The magic would still have its intended effect. Irene struck the princess with her magic; it was a success.

Irene addressed the King with mirth, "Do you still have love for her, even in that pathetic form?" The question was rhetorical of course.

Shock was evident on the King's face, how terribly slow was he? "Wha...what have you done?!" He accused Irene. Just now he had worked up the courage? How tiresome, any fight was futile though the reaction was interesting if only because it was unexpected.

Irene prodded once more, she was not done playing her game, "Can you truly look her in the eye's and say you love her?"

Then the King surprised her again with his response, "Of course, I can you fiend! No matter how she looks, she'll always be my daughter! Worry not, Hisui...I shall return you to your original form even if it kills me!"

The response stirred something inside Irene that was long dead. She would not allow that. Irene herself no longer had someone who cared enough to do the same for her. It was weakness to rely on anything other than her own power; Irene knew this to be a fact.

So she replied no change in her demeanor, "What a bore?" The sadistic grin never left her face as she prepared to strike him with her magic.

* * *

Irene's training in Alvarez was going well. Soon she would win a coveted place with the Spriggan; the elite guard of the emperor.

When Irene first arrived she was astonished by how homesick she had felt as soon as she dedicated her time to training the feeling disappeared.

Irene longed, in moments of weakness, to return home. Alvarez weeded out the weak. Irene was not weak. The power she gained here and the respect she was given even being so young, at only twenty, was intoxicating.

Irene occasionally exchanged correspondence with Matilda. The magic council was set to deal with the local crime lord and his numerous thugs. She was married with a family now.

Irene was tempted to leave Alvarez for Rosemary Village. The Spriggan were top tier mages Irene would be one of them now she could not be looked down on. She had aquired the power she craved, but Irene wanted more, so she planned a trip home to gain some perspective.

August frowned upon her decision to leave so close to her promotion, perhaps he found her behavior flippant, she left anyway.

The trip itself was uneventful until she reached her hometown. The acrid smell of burning flesh was heavy in the air; Irene could smell it a mile off. The town itself was destroyed the only residents the resided here now were the dead bodies not caught in whatever fire had burned through the majority of the town.

Irene searched until she happened upon Matilda and what must had been her family dead in her arms. Their parents bodies were not fortunate enough to escape the carnage completely their father was burned to a crisp inside the remains of their modest cottage. The only identifier was a pendant he had always worn around his neck. Mother was outside burns littered her body, but the cause of death was clearly the stab wound where someone had run her through with a sword.

Irene took to burying all of them. Something died within her that day. Everything was numb. She had lost so many years with them if only she had come home sooner; if she had never left in the first place this would have never happened.

After she finished, Irene inspected the carnage for signs of the culprits. She was not disappointed. Two men were looting the remains of the village. They were taking from the people and homes they had destroyed. They were joking about what they had done. Rage overcame Irene what had happened was not her fault it was _theirs_. They died quickly they could not match and neither could the rest of the crime syndicate that followed suit.

Irene returned to Alvarez those that had died in Rosemary were innocent, but they had died because they allowed themselves to be weak and others saw the opprotunity to take advantage.

Irene would not suffer the same fate. She would make others tremble before her might. The were the best and Irene intended to be the best of them.

* * *

Before Irene had the opportunity to finish casting her magic she felt a familar presence. It _felt_ real. It _was_ real. This day was full of surprises. Irene no longer wished to be entertained.

"This sensation...", Irene remarked the disbelief clear in her voice as she hurried toward one of the ornate palace windows.

There was nothing obvious was in the distance, but she felt it. This was no phantom sensation. Irene knew this magic signature as well as her own. It had changed, but Irene knew it could not be, it could not be anything else.

Irene cast magic to scan the surrounding area.

A flash of scarlet hair caught her eye.


End file.
